A comprehensive overview of bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis in Albania: epidemiology and control

Brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) are the most significant zoonotic diseases in Albania, largely because they persist endemically in livestock populations, pose occupational risks to animal handlers, and continue to cause sporadic human infections. Despite control measures such as risk-based brucellosis vaccination in small ruminants, slaughterhouse surveillance for bTB, and routine disease testing in cattle, these interventions have not yet achieved effective or sustainable eradication. Between 2021 and 2025, district-level program data for both zoonoses were collected and analyzed. A retrospective review of national surveillance datasets identified 189 seropositive brucellosis cases during the study period. The highest proportions were recorded in Vlorë (61 cases; 32.3%), followed by Elbasan (54; 28.6%), Tiranë (41; 21.7%), and Shkodër (33; 17.5%). Over the same period, the bTB surveillance program detected infections on 52 farms, affecting a total of 89 animals. The mean number of affected animals per farm declined progressively across successive years (2021-2025), from 2.64 to 2.00, 1.67, 1.36, and 1.13, respectively. Key control priorities include strengthening vaccination coverage and animal movement controls for brucellosis, enhancing risk-based testing, ensuring the timely removal of reactors, and reinforcing slaughterhouse surveillance for bTB. Routine reporting of the number of animals tested and the geographic locations of testing would enable time-lag analyses, improve prevalence estimates, and support more targeted risk-based interventions. Enhancing public and occupational awareness of transmission pathways, alongside promoting vaccination, is essential for reducing zoonotic risk.